Tamaki College league players working to chase NRL dream
HUGH COLLINS
Last updated 13:22, November 4 2015
Pursuing your dreams is about making sacrifices.
This is the mindset of two Tamaki College year 12 rugby league players who have both been picked up by NRL junior development squads.
Troy Pulupaki, 17, has joined a Junior Warriors development side as well as the national Kiwis under-18 team.
He was originally a union player but was inspired to change codes by his cousin at age 12.
Playing at lock, Pulupaki has stuck with the code because he prefers its intensity.
"In union there's too many lineouts, kicks and scrums, league is straight into the action."
Jonty Timoti, 16, has been invited to join a Bulldogs development camp in Sydney in December.
He will also train with the Kiwis under-16 team that will play Samoa in January.
The halfback has been in the code since he was 4 and plays his club rugby for the Ellerslie Eagles.
League was passed down to him from his older brothers, one of who is now part of a feeder development club for the Canberra Raiders.
Both players are dreaming of making the NRL and are not naive about the hard work ahead of them.
Jonty says it can be disheartening knowing the talent they are competing against.
"That's what kind of brings you down, but it's just up to us if we want it or not, if we can put in the extra yards," he says.
Troy says they are both aware of the sacrifices they need to make around diet and going out with friends.
Tamaki College joined the College Rugby League competition for the first time this year.
They came first in their division after dominating Manurewa High School 28-0 in the final.
Sports co-ordinator Kieran Gutry says rugby league has been successful at the school because of the drive from the students.
"It's a student-led team and it's shown that we can have both a successful rugby union and rugby league team."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/lo...ege-league-players-working-to-chase-nrl-dream
